THERE was expectation in the air as the Dalesmen took to the stage for the final league match of an enthralling season on Saturday.

Whilst the Ilkley side was shorn of two regular front rowers and vice-captain Chuckie Ramsay, there was an optimistic feeling that one their worst defeats this term at York could be reversed and, my goodness, they did not disappoint.

A strong start by the visitors came to nought. The big test in this match was always going to be the scrum. Ollie Ham, Charlie Head and Josh Pinder had a mammoth task against a big and competent York front three. Whilst it creaked a bit, for the most part, they held their own ball.

The Dalesmen’s four tries were out of the top drawer.

It was a scrum just inside the York half that provided ball for JH Johnson to feed his scrum half Archie Elgood and the superb Eddie Brown. Brown had the ever-excellent Ben Magee coming into the line and Magee’s perfect pass put Ben Walker in for an early score. Magee converted. 7-0.

Another scrum on half way was won. Magee was there again, this time chipping over the York defence from which the ball was won back by the tenacious back row. Several superb phases later Head plucked a high pass out of the air, beat a couple of defenders and crashed over for Ilkley’s second try. Magee was wide with his conversion attempt, but Ilkley lead 12-0.

A yellow card shown to Head put York on the front foot as they scored a pushover try having also introduced Lewi Jackson to their front three - it was the powerful Jackson, a superb modern day jackaller, who had played a huge role in their victory at Acomb Road. William Enslim the scorer and Harry Shackleton converted. 12-7.

It took a moment of sheer class for Ilkley to regain the initiative. Who else but Magee could manufacture a try of this calibre; From deep Magee gathered a York clearance. He made twenty metres, chipped over the bemused chasing York players, burst through their ranks to collect the ball on the first bounce and made a further 25 metres to score one of the tries of the season. That extended the lead to 19-7, Magee having converted his own try.

York responded quickly in the second half following a scrum situation. It was well won by the visitors and a superb move involving all the backs saw Jonty Atkinson go in in the corner to pull it back to 19-12.

The hosts were then awarded a penalty and Mr reliable, Magee, clipped the ball over to put Ilkley ahead by a two score margin, 22-12.

There followed a period of York pressure both in the loose and more so in the tight. Ilkley’s defence was heroic and stoic. They held out the York onslaught for a good 15 minutes during which their scrum was gaining ascendancy.

Finally, Mr Robson signalled penalty in front. The kick at goal was eschewed and scrum taken. First the ball was spun right to left, then back again to the right and the seemingly inevitable try was scored in the corner where prop Eddie Westaby was lurking. A superb conversion from Shackleton made it 22-19.

With a couple of minutes remaining on the clock, an Ilkley maul was stopped short. Out of the back came the irrepressible Gamble to charge over for the try.

JH Johnson converted to give the jubilant Dalesmen a ten-point advantage and an emphatic 29-19 five point victory, as Ilkley claimed an eighth placed finish.